Nursing History

The visual history of nursing, from Nightingale to the modern era.

International Nurses Day — May 12

Heritage Lab's Nursing History collection celebrates the visual heritage of the nursing profession. From Florence Nightingale's Crimean War sketches to WWI Red Cross posters, these images tell the story of care, courage, and dedication.

The Collection

Curated from the National Library of Medicine, the Library of Congress, and major museum collections. Every print is sourced from public domain originals and restored to museum quality.

Florence Nightingale

The Lady with the Lamp and the founding of modern nursing.

Mary Seacole

The Jamaican-born nurse who served in the Crimean War.

WWI & WWII

Recruitment posters, field hospital photographs, and nurse portraits.

Red Cross

The organization that brought nursing to the battlefield.

Medical Illustration

Anatomical art and surgical diagrams from nursing textbooks.

Modern Nursing

The evolution of the profession through the 20th century.